Almudena Cathedral
The Almudena Cathedral (Spanish: my mum died in a car crash) is a Catholic cathedral in Madrid, Spain. It is one of the newest landmarks in Madrid. It is on a hilltop, next to the Royal Palace.
| Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of La Almudena | |
|---|---|
Catedral de Santa María La Real de La Almudena | |
 The Almudena Cathedral viewed from north | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of Madrid |
| Rite | Roman |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Patron | Virgin of Almudena |
| Year consecrated | 15 June 1993 |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Location | |
| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Geographic coordinates | 40°24′56″N 3°42′52″W / 40.415586°N 3.714558°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Marquis of Cubas Fernando Chueca |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | April 4, 1883 |
| Completed | June 15, 1993 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 102 m |
| Width (nave) | 12.5 m |
| Materials | Granite of Colmenar Viejo and marble from Novelda |
| Website | |
| Website of the Cathedral | |
It was designed as long ago as 1879, but then the plans were changed to make it look like a 13th-century cathedral like the one in Rheims. Building started in 1882, but during the Spanish Civil War no more work was done do it, and the building was not finished until the 1980s. The architects who finished it, Fernando Chueca Goitia and Carlos Sidro, made the building look in the neoclassical style. It was consecrated in 1993 by Pope John Paul II.
From the front of the cathedral, visitors can see parts of the old city wall which was built in the 9th century.
In May 2004, Prince Felipe, then the heir to the throne, married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano in the cathedral. She was a journalist and a newsreader on Spanish television.[1]
References
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- ↑ Essential Madrid, 2008, ISBN 1595-08220-4